What If
by gregorybryce9
Summary: What if Gohan was a bit more assertive in his personality? What if when Videl had tried to blackmail him, he had said no instead? How would that have played out in the end and what repercussions would it bring to the world as they know it? Gohan has made his choice and for better or worse, he was gonna stick to it. GohanxVidel. A different Buu Saga. Read and find out!
1. The Divergence: Gohan Says No!

**So, I've been reading my fair share of DBZ fanfiction since recently as a way to get over my disappointment as to the original series. It's not to say that I hate Dragon Ball Super per say, just really disappointed as to how the story has been developing over time. I think that the story did many things wrong (or at the very least, some things that I would not have done if I were the Akira Toriyama). But alas, I am not.**

 **I mean no blight against Toriyama. The man is a legend in his own right and has obviously done something right seeing the fact that his characters are universally recognized and held has heroes in the minds of many children. It was this man who had introduced me to the wonderful world of anime and manga and I will always have a place in my heart for his works.**

 **But, it also should be said that he is not without his faults.**

 **First of all, how do you forget one of your own characters?! Some of you may not know who I am talking about seeing as most began their journey at DBZ and not the show's original series Dragon Ball which follows Goku's journey as a child. BUT STILL, HOW COULD HE HAVE FORGOTTEN LAUNCH?! SHE WAS AN AWESOME CHARACTER AND ONE OF MY FAVORITES!**

 **I MISS HER SO MUCH...**

 **But one of my biggest problems was the way he had developed Gohan. Gohan had so much potential as a child growing up and was squandered during that seven year time-skip. It was originally planned that Gohan would have taken over his father's role as the series protagonist after the Cell saga but that was ultimately scrapped. This was due to the the fact that Toriyama stated that Gohan's personality prevented him from adequately fulfilling the role he was to play. That, I can agree with.  
**

 **Gohan is a pacifist by nature and in a series focused around fighting, he wouldn't really fit the mold. But that doesn't mean he had to completely nerf Gohan. I mean, come on. He was such a wimp and a walk-over nearing the Buu saga and only showed the slightest of anything resembling a backbone only after Videl was viciously curb-stomped. In my eyes, he was a let-down after the Cell games.**

 **But what can I do? It's not like there is some sort of forum on which I can make changes to the original story line to suit my own tastes where in which others can also read it and leave their opinions?**

 **Oh wait... there is!**

 **Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you a one-shot of what I would consider my version of what the build-up to the Buu saga should be. It won't really cover a lot in terms of the original story's plot but will show how different the story could be if Gohan was a bit more... well, assertive.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Orange Star High School  
**

Son Gohan was running late... again.

This was not an unfamiliar sight as the spiky haired teen sprinted through the halls of the public high school. He was usually late to class and would be normally be seen rushing towards his homeroom at this time. He was tall for his age, easily heads and shoulders over most of the other boys. Despite it not being the mandatory dress code, he chose to wear the school's official male uniform; a white long-sleeved shirt, black vest, burnt orange pants with the prominent badge of Orange Star High School displayed on his chest.

 _'Dammit dammit dammit!'_ the perpetually late boy swore in his head as he rounded a bend and darted forwards.

He had hoped that he would have been early this morning but his regular alarm clock (read: his annoying little brother Goten) had been unusually late in the boy's wake-up this morning and he barely had time to eat breakfast before his mother had sent him off. Not to mention that on his way to school, a robbery had occurred right as he flew overhead on Nimbus. He wasn't sure how it was that in a city that boasted the 'world's savior', that it had the highest number of crimes. But then again, most of these criminals were usually just punks who wanted a shot at fighting the world champ and would go to any means to draw his attention.

But that was neither here nor there. The main point he was trying to make was the fact that due to the deviant activity, he was forced to resort to his Saiyaman get-up and resort the problem himself. Stopping the robbers themselves wasn't a problem. When you were to compare Gohan, now considered as the strongest being on Earth with few who could even hold a candle to his strength, to your everyday common thug, the match up was ridiculously unfair. His power level compared to theirs was like the ground to the sky... no - even more than that. At his peak, his power was so encompassing and seemingly infinite that no scouter to date could even fathom to calculate his true strength without being blown to smithereens.

So yeah, the fight had ended quickly.

But what came after threatened to give him an headache the size of New Namek. He was immediately accosted on scene by his ever persistent classmate, Videl Satan. If Gohan was to describe the girl in one word, the first one to come to mind was stubborn. The girl's coarse black hair was styled in two low pig-tails with golden hair clips. She wore her trademark white blouse with black biker shorts that stopped at her thighs. She was quick to grab him by the collar, dragging him down to her eye-level with an angry scowl on her face. The girl was determined in her attempts to unmask him. He could understand her perspective, but there were times when she got under his skin and irritated him to no end.

As he neared his homeroom, a locker was slammed shut, halting him in his steps.

Speak of the devil.

"Hey Videl," he waved at the girl, hoping against all odds that this wasn't another attempt by the girl to discover his secrets. It was bad enough that she took to harassing him when he was under the guise of the Great Saiyaman but even here, the girl wholeheartedly believed that he was the city's masked hero.

And the sad part about it was that she was absolutely right.

She wore a smug grin, looking far too much like a cat who had eaten the canary. She had propped herself up against a locker - his locker to be exact. "Well, hello there Gohan," she cooed.

Gohan would never admit it out loud but he was attracted to the black haired girl. She was strong willed, beautiful and an incredible fighter compared to normal standards. But his attraction to her was overshadowed by his repulsion to her meddling tendencies. She was strong-willed, yes but she was extremely pushy. She demanded to know all there was to know about any and every one she associated with and if she was refused, she would often resort to intimidation tactics.

Not the most attractive of traits.

"What's up Videl? Aren't we gonna be late for class?" he asked again, feeling just a tad bit nervous as her grin grew. The girl took a step forward then tipped to the ball of her feet, silently fuming that he was that much taller than her.

"It's over Gohan!"

 _'Huh?! What's over? School certainly even over. I just got here,'._ Gohan frowned. Now she was really making any sense to him. "What are talking about Videl. School just started awhile ago," he said.

She jabbed a finger in his chest. "Don't act coy with me! You know what I'm talking about,"

He moved her finger away from his chest and crossed his arms. Honestly, he didn't have time to deal with this girl.

"No, I really don't know what you're talking about,"

She bit her lower lip. This was something she liked and disliked about the black-haired teen. The boy was unconditionally kind and passionate about whatever it was that he did. Despite him already being leagues ahead in terms of education, the teen still poured his heart and sole into his assignments showing a dedication she had never seen before. And added to his assertive and steely will, he was one of the few who would dare look her in the eye without flinching.

A big plus in her book.

She smirked and reached forward for the lone band-aid on his cheek. She felt superior when she felt his breath still. His lips were so close that all it took was a slight tilt forward and they would be...

She immediately stopped those thoughts dead in their tracks.

She ripped the band-aid off, revealing a thin scratch on his cheek "Ah ah! Just like I thought! I saw Saiyaman getting this same exact scratch there yesterday. Seeing as you have the same exact scratch on the same spot can only mean that you're the Great Saiyaman!"

And just one more thing to add to the list of things he liked yet disliked about the girl. She was scary perspective.

"Y-You're wrong. I-It's just a coincidence," he waved off, sweat beading on his forehead.

Videl merely shook her head. Gohan could not lie to save his life. She stepped back, giving him space.

She would gladly admit that she was having a bit of fun with the way she was slowly trapping the tall teen in a corner. Since his inception to Orange Star High, Gohan had quickly made a name for himself among the school populace. He wasn't popular by any means but most had heard of the boy. He was the new wiz kid, the nerd in class who had been home-schooled most of his life. Like a cat, Videl was immediately curious of the boy. There were too many things about him that did not add up and she knew something was up. The aspiring detective within her had demanded that she unveil the boy's secrets and was off-put when he had refused. It had lead to an one-sided game of cat-and-mouse with Videl taking to tailing him wherever he went in a bid to learn the truth.

And at long last, she had finally gained an upper hand.

"Give it up Gohan! You're a horrible liar," she gloated.

The boy hung his head in defeat. Since when had his life dwindled from death matches against galactic overlords into hiding secrets from teen-aged girls. Hell! Facing off against Frieza was a lot easier than this.

He sighed aloud. "Fine, you've got me. I'm the Great Saiyaman,"

As she heard the words flow from his lips, Videl felt hollow in her victory over the boy. She wasn't sure what she had expected but... this was not it. She bit her lips in thought, pondering if she should go on with her next course of action in her plan of outing Gohan. With a few seconds of thought, she decided that it was worth it in the end. She would be benefiting greatly from this. There was a chance she would even learn how to fly.

How cool was that!

"I wonder~" she cooed far too innocently. Instantly, Gohan felt a deep fear settle in his stomach. Simply discovering his secret was probably not enough for the girl. She would want more, he could tell.

"What is it, Videl?"

"I'm just thinking Gohan, don't you think that the public deserves the right to now just who the Great Saiyaman is?" she said. She took two steps back, providing space between the two. "After all, he is the city's newest hero~"

Gohan had to fight back the curse on his lips. He knew full well that she didn't believe the Great Saiyaman to be a hero. Many times he had heard her complain to Erasa about his exploits.

"You can't Videl," he pleaded. "I wear that costume so I can protect my family's identity.

She smirked. "Don't worry Gohan, I won't tell." For a moment there, he sighed a breath of relief. At least his secret was still safe from the public. But then the world came crashing down on his head. "On one condition," she chimed in.

"What do you want me to do?"

"You are going to join the World Martial Arts Tournament that's coming up soon. You see, I did a little digging yesterday and I found out that the champ before my dad was named Son Goku," Videl grinned. "Does that sound familiar? I even found out he had a child. A son by the name of Son Gohan. You may have tried to hide it from me but I know that your father was the champ, just like mine!"

Gohan could feel the incoming headache. He said it before and he would say it again, Videl was scarily perceptive. From a single scratch on his cheek, she had not only deduced his alter ego's identity, but it had led her down the path of discovering his family's heritage. And he was sure that if she looked back on the old tournament tapes, she would easily figure out that he had mastered the same ki techniques that her father had passed off as tricks and scams.

"Just think, the daughter of the current champ versus the son of the former champ!" Videl explained, and Gohan could see that she was invested in the idea of the two of them fighting in the tournament.

Too bad that wouldn't happen.

"I'm sorry Videl but I can't,"

"... "

The silence that came after his response made Gohan think that perhaps he had made the wrong choice. The girl looked as of someone had smacked her with a live fish, and seeing as how he had done that to Goten once, the facial expression was spot on.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'YOU CAN'T'!?" the girl screamed. She had re-closed the gap between the two. She was quick to grab his collar and drag him down to her eye-level.

Yet, he was unfazed.

"I mean that I won't join the World Martial Arts Tournament," he explained, unconcerned as her grip tightened. "If I enter then that would draw even more attention to my family,"

"B-But you have to!" she screamed, feeling the dreads of desperation sinking in. Her plan was unraveling in front of her eyes and she was quickly losing control of the situation. "If you don't then... then... then I'll call a press conference and tell the whole world about your secret!"

Was it malicious? Yes. Was it fair? No. Did she entirely care? Not at this point. Maybe later down the line, she would feel regret for essentially trying to blackmail the boy into bending to her demands but she was so close to learning all those amazing skills he had used when parading around as the Great Saiyaman.

Not to mention all the alone time they would have to spend together _'training.'_

She wouldn't let it just slip through her fingers like that.

Gohan was not impressed. "I won't enter the tournament Videl. My family really likes their family and I do too. I hope you can understand that." He didn't wait for a response, walking off towards the direction of the class. As much as he liked the thrill of a good fight, he wouldn't jeopardize the peace his family had earned after so many years of fighting and back-to-back threats to their safety.

Videl watched him walk off, fuming at the callous dismissal in her eyes. It had been a very long time since someone had refused her and she found the feeling to be unpleasant. All she wanted was for him to teach her a few moves and to fight against her. So what was the big deal if a few cameras were pointed in his direction had the end of the day? Surely he could handle it. She was forced to do it for seven years so far and while it had been taxing, it wasn't the end of the world.

 _'Fine then Son Gohan, if that's how you want to play it, two can play that game.'_

She pushed off the lockers and headed in the opposite directions; directly towards the school's exit.

She had a few calls to make.

* * *

 **Mount Paozu, Goku's house**

Gohan cut the flow of his ki as he landed right outside his house. The morning's episode with Videl had left a hollow feeling in his gut, especially since the girl hadn't showed up for the rest of the day. He hoped against all hope that instead of outing him to the whole world, the girl had simply disappeared to vent her frustrations in a few sessions of training.

The whole day had been a roller-coaster of emotions. Mostly dread and anticipation of what was to come. He had spaced out in class, his mind running a thousand miles an hour as he pondered on whether or not his secret identity had been revealed.

But as he stepped into the humble abode settled snug in the 439 East District, his heart sank as his worst fears were realized.

Because on the screen of the family's small television, was the smug grin of Videl Satan as she told the world the truth.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think and if you believe I should continue the story.**

 **Review, favorite and follow,  
-Gregorybryce9**


	2. Secrets Revealed: Videl Tells the World!

**Due to popular demand and the way that I ended the first chapter, I have decided to continue the story for you guys, so here we go.**

 **Part 2 of What if...**

* * *

Videl had grown used to the flashing lights in the past seven years of her life. It wasn't something she was proud of but rather something that was necessary due to her father's fame. Her father was already considered a top-flight martial artist due to him winning the World Martial Arts Championship before the emergence of Cell but the man had blown up to even greater heights when he had defeated the green monster all those years ago. The 'world's savior' was the proclamation of the public following the monumental victory and the man had not hesitated to soak up the attention from the media. He was a natural showboat, and the people had bought in on his confidence and arrogant boasts.

He was the earth's newest golden boy and this attention had of course rolled over to his only daughter. Videl Satan's life had changed drastically since then and there was never a moment of peace again. There was hardly ever a time when she wasn't being hounded by the press for the latest 'scoop' or the police department calling for her help in sometimes the most inconvenient of hours. Her private life had dwindled to nothingness and she was now the public's property so to speak.

So yes, the girl had grown accustomed to the flashing lights from the paparazzi.

But it didn't stop her from being caught off-guard by the large volume of reporters that had huddled into the police headquarters. When she had informed the chief of police that she had discovered Saiyaman's identity and wanted a press conference, she had not expected this. The place was packed to the brim and the reporters were huddled together like sardines in a tin. She had already counted over dozens of television cameras that no doubt were being broadcasted live. Not to mention the unspeakable amount of microphones, notepads and even tape recorders she could spy from her position behind the chief.

She felt a pang of jealously swirl within her by the massive amount of persons who had gathered for his grand reveal. It irked her to see the amount of attention that Gohan had garnered under his alter ego. Ever since his arrival, he had systematically taken over as the city's greatest hero and the worst part was that he was only doing the job part-time, as opposed to her, who was fully dedicated. It was completely unfair and she felt a vindictive glee as she would soon reveal his secret to the world.

That negative emotion was however squashed by a knot of guilt twisting in her stomach. She didn't _want_ to do this but Gohan had brought this upon himself, she reasoned. If he had simply complied to her demands for once then she would not have had to resort to such drastic measures.

She stepped forward into the room and the frenzy was unleashed.

The media personnel wasted no time to attempt and tush towards the girl. Only the presence of a rope barrier and few police officers deterred them from completely bomb-rushing the girl in their eagerness for her to spill the beans on the city's masked vigilante. She walked pointedly to her chair behind the table set up while pointedly ignoring all the questions being thrown at her. Like aforementioned, she had grown used to the flashing lights. She took a seat and noted that the chief had taken up residence beside her.

The chief was portly man and had a handlebar mustache that he had bleached blonde. His hair was deep brown in color and looked as though he had taken a couple hours in the mirror just brushing it. She realized that the man was dressed for the occasion, his white shirt starched and his medals and badge shining just a tad brighter than before.

She wondered why he had gone through the trouble but reasoned that he saw it fitting as he would no doubt be appearing on multiple channels.

Compared to him, she was utterly under dressed. She was clad in her usually training gi and the only accessory she wore were the golden hair bands. Perhaps she had taken the situation too lightly, but then again, this was about Gohan.

The chief allowed the crowd to clamor for a few more moments being he raised a single hand in the air, his palm facing the crowd. Like an attentive classroom, the noise level lulled to a low hush. The only sounds that could be heard were the small clicks as a few cameras went off, capturing the moment. The officer made a small rolling signal with his raised hand to the main camera stationed in the middle of the room and the camera man returned with a thumbs up. The lights on the device went red.

They were officially on air.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen of the world, I am Sergeant Copperfield, the chief of the Satan City Police Department," the man introduced in a professional tone. "I must apologize for the interruption of your regular programming but after hearing the request of our very own Videl Satan, I feel that my actions are justified." The man made a gesture to her and she smiled slightly as the cameras panned over to her direction.

If there was one thing she appreciated about her father's fame was the perks it had given her.

"Most of you may be aware of this fact but for those who do not, allow me to explain. Just like her father before her, the young Videl has given her own time in ensuring the safety for persons like yourselves by assisting the the police force in their activities. I am happy to report that since her intervention, while crime rates may still be high, the amount of arrests have skyrocketed, leaving this city with arrest-rate over of over 90%." Here, he paused to allow for the reporters to applaud the young girl, a small token of appreciation for her efforts he thought.

"But while it was a great achievement, it seemed it was not enough to dissuade criminals from stopping their heinous crimes. Videl, while an invaluable asset to our task force, was still only one person. She worked tirelessly and alone in her crime fighting work... or at least she used to. Several weeks ago, a new figure made himself known to our great city, declaring himself to be the Great Saiyaman. He donned a mask and cape while he did his work and together, these two crime fighters were able to bring the crime rate down.

"But naturally, we began to wonder, _'Who was under the mask? Who was the Great Saiyaman?'_. My dear citizens, this question will be answered today by our very own, Videl Satan!"

The man behind the camera had swiveled his view from the chief onto her in an instant. She faltered for a second, wondering whether or not she could truly go through with it. She valued Gohan as a friend all things considered. Perhaps not as much as Erasa but somewhat on a bit different scale of friendship. She wasn't sure what it was entirely but she had more than once found herself growing nervous around him and his opinions of her. It was disconcerting but true. Even now she couldn't help but think if he was watching her now.

And what he thought about it.

But her wounded pride demanded for retribution against Gohan. She was not one to be ignored and the way he had refused her had left a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to lash out at him for causing those feelings and this was one of the grandest ways she knew how.

This was all Gohan's fault, she justified.

So with a steeled resolve, she spoke into the market.

"I just want to say... "

* * *

Gohan had to admit, the girl truly meant her words.

The small abode that his father had built many years ago for his family was dead quiet as they listened to the raven haired Satan as she revealed to the whole world the secret identity of the Great Saiyaman. She had immediately opened the floor to questions the second that she was handed the mic and the reporters had made good on their opportunity. The first question they had asked was expected:

 _"Who was the man behind the mask?"_

She was unrepentant in her explanation. She had recalled explicitly the time when her first suspicions were raised. It was after his first appearance on the crime fighting scene where he had assisted her in taking down a couple of bank robbers. She went on to explain about his reclusive behavior during class when she had questioned his method of traverse to and from the 439 mountain areas. The final piece to the puzzle was the cut he had picked up as the Great Saiyaman. Gohan hadn't even dwell on the small wound (and calling it a wound was a stretch). He had suffered far worse at the hands of Nappa, Frieza and Cell to really care about a small scratch but she had.

The questions had only increased since then, and with each answer she gave, Gohan felt... angrier. He hadn't felt the ugly emotion in so long that it had surprised him. For the first time in seven years, Gohan felt angry at another living being. It had been Cell who had last been a target for his anger and since the fateful clash, he had tried better to regulate his emotions with great success. But now, the anger was slowly bubbling to the surface with each information about him she gave out.

His name.

His age.

His address.

His father.

His likes and dislikes.

Everything she knew was now aired to the public and Gohan was pissed. It wasn't the 'I'm-going-to-blast-you-to-smithereens-with-my-kamehameha-wave' type of anger. No, it was more along the lines of 'I-m-going-to-go-outside-and-destroy-another-mountain-because-I-don't-want-to-break-your-face' type of angers.

The girl he had considered a friend and respected had betrayed his trust with a sickly sweet smile on her face. He knew the lengths one's pride could cause them to go (Vegeta being a prime example) but the knowledge that Videl had outed him had hurt a lot more than it should have. Realistically, he knew his secret would have had to come out at some point. He was bound to slip up somewhere but the fact that it was Videl that did this...

... it was too painful to bear.

His mother's reaction was not one he had expected. Where he had imagined her being angry and yelling vengeance on the teenage girl, she had instead sat back wordlessly.

That scared Gohan more than an irate Chi-Chi.

"Mom?" he inquired softly, letting go of his anger momentarily. His mother needed him now. "Are you okay?"

"Oh Gohan... " the woman sighed. "It's all ruined now,"

"What do you mean, mom?" he questioned. Sure his secret was out and the press would be on them but that certainly didn't mean their future was gone. "I'm sure its not that bad,"

The woman shook her head. "You don't understand Gohan. You can't go to school anymore. You'll never be able to focus there and... and... " Whatever it was that she wanted to say was apparently too painful for her to commit to words as she broke into sobs. Gohan grimaced as he watched her cry. He was always uncomfortable around crying girls and is mother was no different.

"It'll be okay mom. I promise!" he tried to coerce her with his patented Son family smile but it seemed to make her cry even louder.

"No! It won't be okay! MY BABY IS GOING TO BE A DROPOUT!" the woman wailed.

Gohan sweat-dropped. It was just like his mother to focus on his schoolwork - even though he had long passed the high school level. But he wouldn't leave her like this.

"Don't cry mom. I don't have to drop out of school because of this. Sure, it's going to be harder but I'll manage."

"But how will you make friends now? The only reason I sent you to school was to get to know kids you own age," she stuttered through her tears. She was coming off her crying tangent now and her words were flowing a bit easier.

"I already have-" he stopped his sentence short. He was going to say that he had already made friends but he wasn't so sure at the moment. Sharpener was at best considered an acquaintance. He didn't really get along with the blond jock and had only socialized with him due to Erasa's insistent personality. Speaking of the bubbly blond, while he was fond of her, he was sure that she would always choose Videl over him, and with Videl's actions just now, he would rather avoid the ravenette if he could help it.

So that was a no go on counting Videl, Erasa or Sharpener as friends.

"How about a different school somewhere else?" he asked nervously. He wasn't sure why he was still suggesting ideas for him to still attend school when he was more than qualified to be working at any workplace he wanted but attributed it to growing fond of the novelty of a normal life. It was a big change from his constant training regimen and he was glad his mother had suggested, despite the problems he had faced.

Chi-Chi's face lit up like christmas lights. "That's an excellent idea Gohan! We'll just find you a different school to go to!" The tears was gone now and was replaced with a gleeful laugh as the woman bounded up the stairs. To do what exactly - Gohan had no idea but he was sure he was bound to find out soon. He was about to head to his room when a voice stopped him.

"Big bro?"

Goten had been unusually quiet since his arrival home and Gohan had even forgotten that he was still there in the room. Turning to him, he noticed the boy playing with the hem of his orange gi, modeled to look like their father's famous fighting gi.

"Yeah squirt, what's up?"

"Are we going to have to move?" he asked, and Gohan found himself wondering the same question. Would they have to move from the small home? Gohan certainly didn't want to. It was where his great-grandpa Gohan had lived and where he and his father had grown as well. There were so many memories in the cozy little place that Gohan had grown attached to it.

But Videl had also given out his address and he was sure that the media would be here before nightfall.

"I'm not sure squirt. Maybe," he answered as honestly as he could.

"Gohan~"

Turning away from his little brother, Gohan answered his mother's sing-song tone with a question.

"Yes mom?"

"When was the last time you've seen your friend Lime~?" she cooed.

* * *

Videl never felt more alive than she did today. The girl was particularly smug as she capsulized her jet copter before stuffing the capsule in her pocket. And why wouldn't she be? She had one-upped Gohan and had practically forced him into entering now. She had thought that the chance to spar with the boy had been lost when he refused but new hope was revitalized after the press conference. When she had told them all that Gohan was indeed the son of one of the former champions, the organizers behind the tournament had immediately contacted her, asking if she was interested in partaking in a special bout on the largest martial arts stage.

The son of the former champ versus the daughter of the current champ.

It was too good to be true! She had agreed on the spot and the organizers had assured her that word would get out about the fight by the next morning. There was no way for Gohan to refuse now when he was being pressured by the whole world to fight. He would be forced to fight or hide away in shame, which was something she could never imagine him doing.

She was almost happy enough to skip to class.

Almost.

Upon arriving at the school gate, she was bombarded with questions from reporters who had apparently set up camp near the school grounds. She should have expected for this to happen but had hoped that they had gotten their fill when they had visited the Son residence yesterday.

Apparently not.

He tried to brush pass the crew but was halted in her tracks by a lone question she was able to pick out among the rest.

"What can you say about the Great Saiyaman's disappearance?"

She turned to reporter who had said that. He looked no older than her. A thin boy who looked scraggly put together. He had a note pad in hand and a pen clenched in his fingers. She approached him and most parted like the Red Sea.

"What was that?"

The boy flushed under her gaze but managed to repeat his question with a few stutters. She pursed her lips as she considered the question again.

"What do you mean by disappearance?"

This time it was someone else that answered. A female reporter to her left this time. "When we went to the address you gave us yesterday, we found the place deserted. No one was home Ms. Videl and it looked like they left in a rush,"

The hollow feeling had returned but this time it was a thousand times worse. Gohan had said that his family valued their privacy but surely it wasn't enough for them to pick up and disappear off of the face of the Earth. Maybe she was just overreacting? For all she knew, they had probably left and crashed at a family friend's house to avoid the attention.

That was it, she was overreacting. No doubt that Gohan would be back at school today. It was only the second day into the school week and being the diligent student he was, he wouldn't skip classes.

She assured herself of that fact as she went on her way towards class. She had ignored the looks she got fro her classmates and even tuned out Erasa's wild tales of how the nerdy Gohan had become the brave hero. Her eyes were set fast on the door the whole day., waiting for Gohan to barrel through, late to class as usual. Hell, everyone was waiting on his arrival.

But he never came.

She had brushed it off, believing his absence would last only for a day, but when the end of the week had come and no one had heard a single word from the Son family, she knew that he wouldn't be returning to school.

She had pushed Gohan away.

* * *

 **There it is, chapter two.  
**

 **To that guest reviewer with the question on if I take requests : Not usually. I have done it before with the story under my profile, 'Of Angels and Devils' but with the amount of 'in-progress 'stories I have now, I probably won't be taking any requests. If it is a one-shot request however, I'll be more than happy to do it if I like the premise of the story. **

**Tell me what you think of what I've done so far and how you like it. All questions are welcomed and ONLY constructive criticisms.**

 **Review, Favorite and Follow,  
-Gregorybryce9**


	3. Bonds: One is Gained! One is Lost!

**This is it, chapter 3.**

 **So far I've been getting a lot of good reviews on the story and I have to say, it's really encouraging. So thanks guys, I hope I won't let you down. Now on to the story...**

* * *

 **Orange Star High School**

Videl Satan found herself inside seated within the school's cafeteria alongside Erasa and Sharpener. It had been almost a week now since Gohan's disappearing act, and the media had yet to find out heads or tails of where the family had disappeared to. The Son family had no neighbors they could have spoken to that would have given them clues to their whereabouts and all information on the Son family were either restricted or non-existent. The only things that they were able to find out was information that Videl herself had provided. The police couldn't even get involved seeing as how the Mt. Paozu district was far _far_ outside their jurisdiction. The entire media had been led on a wild goose chase.

It was frustrating to think about for the young girl to think about.

"... what do you think Videl?" Videl was only able to catch the last snippet of Erasa's question and was subjected to giving the girl a confused stare.

"I'm sorry Erasa, I wasn't listening. What were you saying?"

Erasa pouted. "Hmph! How rude!" the girl huffed, crossing her arms beneath her bust. "I don't think I want to tell you anymore," she turned her head away from her friend, hoping to sell the frustrated bit.

Videl could only sigh. Erasa could be a big drama queen when she wanted to. "I'm sorry that I wasn't listening Erasa, there's just a lot on my mind right now."

"Like Gohan?" Erasa ventured correctly.

Videl nodded.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"I don't know Erasa," she admitted to her friend. "It's just that I'm frustrated that we can't find anything about the guy. Zilch! If I hadn't met him myself, then I wouldn't have been convinced that he didn't even exist."

"What about his school records?" Sharpener piped up from his spot around the table. He had just finished eating his lunch and was brushing away the crumbs from his lips. "Nerd-boy must have had to fill out an application to come here. Did you check those?"

"We've already checked those. But everything that wasn't basic and protocol he had left blank!" Just thinking about it made her want to rip her hair out. Why was everything about Gohan so elusive? "It's almost as if he didn't want anyone to find out about him,"

As the statement left her lips, she noticed the small grimace that had momentarily passed on Erasa's face. The bubbly blond looked slightly nervous as she picked at her meal and had suddenly refused to make eye contact with Videl. She knew that Erasa had instantly forgiven her for not listening when she had been talking earlier so the daughter of Hercule was unsure as to why her friend suddenly looked so fidgety.

"What is it Erasa?"

The girl flinched before she mumbled something in response. Even if she had been right next to the girl, Videl wasn't sure if she would have been able to even hear what she had said. Based on Sharpener's befuddled expression, he hadn't heard her either. She repeated the question, this time getting a more vocal response from the girl.

"I said that maybe we should stop trying to find him," she stuttered out, very unlike her usual exuberance.

"Why? I thought you'd want him to came back to school?" Sharpener asked. He pushed the fringes of blond hair away from his face and adopted a look that the two had come to know as his 'serious face' over the years of their friendship.

"I do want him to come back!" Erasa defended hotly.

"The why should we stop looking for him?" Videl inquired as she too was confused by Erasa's admission. _'I was so sure Erasa had a crush on him too. Why wouldn't she want him to come back?'_

"Because you're not trying to find him,"

"What do you mean, of course we- " Videl was cut off by Erasa's exclamation, causing her to reel backwards.

"NO YOU"RE NOT! This isn't about trying to find Gohan. This is about you! And your unhealthy obsession of finding out everything there is to know about everyone, even when it doesn't concern you,"

Videl looked appalled. She rose to her feet to try and defend herself but her words were ignored as Erasa continued her rant.

"Ever since he came here, you've been on his case about hiding some big secret and you've never once even considered how he felt about the whole thing. Now he's run off to gods know where, and you've still haven't stopped digging!"

Videl's face shifted into a sneer. "None of that matters now! I was right from the start, he was hiding a big secret. He was the great Saiyaman!" she defended with a shout.

By now, their argument had caught the cafeteria's attention and a large crowd was formed. It was not everyday you saw someone get in a shouting match with Videl Satan. Especially not her best friend Erasa.

Sharpener had tried to dissuade the two girls but his efforts were ignored.

The blond of the duo screamed out in frustration; long and loud. "Just listen to yourself. _'I was from the start,_ " she mocked in a terrible impression of Videl. "You don't even care that you ruined his life, do you?! All you care about was that you were right!"

"I didn't ruin his life! He was too much of a coward to face the truth!" she exclaimed, her words having a big effect on the girl. Erasa stepped back as though she had been struck across the face. Her warm blue eyes had morphed into two ice chips.

"Gohan isn't the coward in this situation."

She didn't wait for Videl's retort because quite honestly, she was drained from the fight. She just wanted to be somewhere else, preferable with no Videl Satan around.

Videl made to follow but was pulled short by the sudden blaring of her watch. She fumed. _'Couldn't they have waited until after! They always call at the most inconvenient times!'_

She swallowed the curse on her tongue, instead answering the call as the chief's voice came from the device.

 _"Videl, there's a large group of criminals robbing the city's bank. We need your help, they have hostages!"_

"On my way!"

Sharpener watched with an unreadable expression as his two closest friends stormed off in opposite directions. He had no idea what to do at a time like this and hoped that sooner, rather than later, that both girls would kiss and makeup. He wasn't even opposed to the kissing part.

 _'All of this over Nerd-boy... makes you wonder where he is now,'_

* * *

 **Mountainous area somewhere...**

Gohan let out a whoop of joy as he streaked across the sky. He was dressed casually, a loose white shirt tucked snug into a pair dark jeans. His spiky black hair flapped relentlessly as he flew through the air, over the mountainous ground below. He was going at a speed just a tad faster than a jet-copter - which was utterly slow compared to his true speed - but the boy had not gone on a leisurely fly in far too long, so her would take any chance that he got.

An accompanying shout of joy reminded him that he wasn't alone in the skies. Flying alongside him - albeit using the service of the ever faithful cloud Nimbus - was a teen-aged girl with long flowing brown hair caught in long fishnet braid that was whipping in a frenzy against the breeze and the clearest of green eyes he had ever seen. Her grin was infectious, and the light freckling on her cheeks made him want to see her smiling forever. She was garbed in a form-fitting yellow blouse - the first button left open - and a pair of maroon pants.

"Hey Gohan!" the girl called over to him.

"Yeah, Lime?"

"There's a small lake right down there y'know. Wanna take a stop there before we head home?" she was pointing towards the ground as she spoke to him. Inclining his head, Gohan saw that she was right. It wasn't the biggest lake he had seen but it was a beautiful little spot to have.

Suddenly, he grinned. "Sure thing... race ya!"

It hadn't been much of a contest but he hadn't expected it to be. She had landed a few moments after him, spouting a large pout as she hopped off the yellow cloud.

"That wasn't fair!" she whined childishly, drawing a laugh from the half Saiyan.

"Sorry," he apologized and released a grunt as the girl all but tackled him to the ground. A peal of laughter was heard from the pair as they mock wrestled, before inevitably Gohan came out victor. He had easily rolled her off him, allowed her to struggle against his indomitable strength before easily overpowering her. She laid out on her back, her hair a mess as Gohan had pinned both hands above her head.

"I win," he sounded out, but failed to notice the knowing smile on her face.

"I guess you do," she breathed, and Gohan had the feeling he had missed something important.

He came off the girl - ignoring her whine of disappointment - and pulled her to her fee. "Come on, let's go see that lake before Gohan comes looking for me," he urged, Lime falling into step behind him.

He reflected on the past week as he did. It was a sudden move that his mother had made but Chi-Chi had somehow known about meeting with Lime all those years ago and had thought to move close to the young girl. She had reasoned that Gohan would need someone his age to talk to while they hid from the public and was the only person that she thought could fit the build.

Gohan had wanted to protest the move had first. He had thought it better to confront the problem head on a first, but his mother was set in her ways. The woman had packed them up so fast that Gohan's head had spun, before she called for Nimbus to carry her away. He - and his little brother Goten - were forced to carry the luggage. It wasn't anything strenuous for the pair. After all, Gohan had decided to allow the boy to join him in his weekly training and the youngster had flourished exponentially under his guidance.

Gohan wasn't looking forward to the relocation.

After his reunion with Lime, he was singing a completely different tune. The girl had all but monopolized his entire time since then and he couldn't find a reason to complain. She was as bubbly and cheerful as Erasa had been yet had a sharp tongue and steel backbone like Videl. But despite that all, being around the girl was... easy. Relaxing, even. There was no tension or a battle of wills when it came to the two like his interactions with Videl had been nor did he feel uncomfortable and unsettled in her presence like how Erasa had a tendency to make him feel.

Lime was different.

And different felt good.

A hand was waved in front of his face and Gohan blinked as he came back into focus. "Huh?"

"Weren't you listening to anything I said?"

He grinned sheepishly, rubbing the nape of his neck as he did so. "Sorry, I was lost in thought,"

"About what?"

"Nothing really. Just thinking about the city and my old home among some other stuff," he admitted to her.

She stared up a him with an unreadable expression. She was almost a head shorter than he was - then again most girls were - and had to tip on her toes and she gave him a quick peck on the cheeks.

"It's okay to be a little homesick Gohan. Just remember that this is your new home now, okay?"

He nodded at the girl, not trusting his voice as his cheeks were aflame. _'Did she really just... I mean... '_

The girl skipped ahead, a little bounce in her steps as she did. When she realized he was rooted at the spot and not following her, she tossed him a look over her shoulders that told him that she knew the effect she had on him and was enjoying every second of it.

"Aren't you coming Gohan~?"

* * *

 **Satan City Hospital**

It was the low beeping that roused her awake.

She wasn't sure what was making the sound but she planned to put a stop to it. The room was small. Bland walls with multiple health charts hung along the walls surrounded her and a small chair was next to the bed she was lying in. As she tried to sit up, a splitting headache had her crying out in pain and falling back helplessly. Her scream was short and shrill, the girl not expecting to feel a pain equivalent to using a jack hammer on her head,

Moments later, the room's door was thrown open, and in came a ridiculously huge and buff man.

"Sweet pea?! Is everything okay?"

"D-Dad?" she groaned out, her voice sounding brittle and weak.

The man was by her side in an instant, hovering above her like a hummingbird. "Are you okay? Do you need some water or maybe something to eat? Maybe a TV? So you won't get bored?"

"D-Dad," she tried to cut the man off but he was too far gone in his worries.

"NURSE! Get a TV in here, now!" he shouted, only aggravating the mind-splitting headache she had.

"Yes Mr. Satan," a voice replied from outside the room and she could hear the scampering of feet.

"Don't worry sweet pea, your daddy will make it all better," he cooed, and she felt a warmth spread within her. Despite his many flaws, her father truly did love her. But now wasn't the time for her to be coddled. She had to know where she was and how she got here. She had no recollections of what had happened after her spat with Erasa and amnesia was a worrisome sign.

"Dad? What happened? Where am I?"

What she was expecting was for her father to go off on a tangent explaining everything which had happened. If you knew the man like she did, then you would know that Hercule Satan was a notorious story teller. What she didn't expect was the dark shadows that passed over his face. His shoulders shook with fury and the only time she could recall such a thing happening was when news had reached the two of her mother's murder.

Hercule Satan was mad and there would be hell to pay.

"Daddy," she whispered but the man ignored her.

She tried again with little success. He had acknowledged her presence by planting a soft kiss on her forehead before whispering a soft _'Get well'_ before he stalked out of the room. She was left confused by his sudden departure but pushed it to ponder on later as Sharpener entered the room. The tall blond was wearing his usual get-up, telling her he had probably rushed out from school to reach here.

"Hey," he greeted softly, and Videl spared a smile for the boy.

"Hey yourself, what's up?"

He chuckled. "Nothing much, just came here visiting a friend. She got hurt pretty badly, have you perhaps seen her around?"

"Dunno. Maybe I did? Maybe I didn't? What does she look like?" Videl said, continuing their banter.

"Hmm. She has black hair and blue eyes, y'know. And she's short too, like _really_ short," he chuckled at her small cry of indignation. "But despite that, she's pretty strong too,"

"Is she?"

"Yep, one of the toughest persons I know!" he bragged, earning himself another smile from his best friend.

"She sounds awesome,"

He smiled as well, enjoying the small charade the two were having. "She is. I'm sure you two would have hit it off. No doubt about it,"

"Really? Then if she's so awesome, then how did she end up in a hospital?"

Here, the same dark shadow that crossed her father's face had done the same for Sharpener. She feared he would withhold all the info but was proven wrong when he started to speak. "When I said she was one of the strongest persons I know, I wasn't lying. She's incredibly strong and brave and kind too. So when she heard that a bunch of criminals were robbing a bank and holding hostages, she ran in there to help. She was amazing, beating up all the bad guys. But she didn't know that it was a trap. Another one of the bad guys was hiding. He had a gun.

Videl's eyes widen. Yes. She could remember it know. It was hazy but it was there. The man had sneaked from behind while she was fighting. The hostages had tried to warn her but it was too late, he had already fired.

"He shot her. The filthy coward couldn't fight her himself so he shot her," Videl was frightened by he edge in Sharpener's tone. She had seen him angry before but nothing like his. "Then he and his friends started beating. They hit her. Over and over and over again," his voice trembled. "They only stopped when she was unconscious. They thought they had killed her so they ran,"

"Did the police catch them?" she asked, but he shook his head in a negative. "What about the hostages? Did they make it out alive?"

His silence was all she needed to know.

She hadn't realized she had started to cry until she felt a cool drop of tear running down her cheeks. Sharpener was quick to side, holding her hand in his as he spoke.

"It's not your fault Videl. You did the best could."

"But it wasn't enough!"

He made no response to her shout, only squeezing her hands tighter.

But even through all the crying, she realized one important thing...

... Erasa hadn't come to see her

* * *

 **There you have it, another complete chapter from yours truly...  
**

 **Gohan's whereabouts are revealed... sorta and Videl had been injured in her line of duty.**

 **What are Lime's intention with poor Gohan and will Videl and Erasa ever make up (don't forget about the kissing part!)**

 **Find out next time on... What If...**

 **Review, Favorite and Follow  
-Gregorybryce9**


	4. The Poll: It's Your Choice

**Hey everybody.**

 **Sorry to disappoint but this is not an official update. Don't worry I'm not cancelling the story or anything like that. The next chapter is already in the works and I'll be updating soon enough.**

 **This chapter is about something else.**

 **Precisely, it is about the plot of the story.**

 **You see, due to a PM from one of my readers,** ** _maxiefae_** **, I have been hit with a stroke of writer's luck.**

 **She sent me a PM a few days ago and within her message, I've found an epic inspiration about a direction in which this story could head. I don't even think she realizes how much her PM had inspired me but none the less, I have to give her thanks.**

 **A BIG SHOUT-OUT TO YOU MAXIEFAE!**

 **Anyways... due to my new idea however, this will cause a big change to the original plot line.**

 **Basically, if I continue with this new direction, there will be no Buu Saga.**

 **It's a big decision, and is one that I believe should be left to you... the readers.**

 **So for the first time since my inception on this site, I will be doing a poll. There will be two choices for you to choose from.**

 **Choice A) Continue with the original story line. Buu Saga. Action over Romance/Drama.**

 **Choice B) Divert into new story line. No Buu saga. Romance/Drama over Action.**

 **The poll will be posted within 10 or so minutes after this chapter is posted and will run from March 12 - March 17. In the sense of mystery, it will be a blind poll and the winning choice will be announced on the next update, upon which time, this chapter will be deleted. So get to voting people, And I'll see you guys on Saturday with the results.**

 **Review, Favorite and Follow  
-Gregorybryce9**


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